Australian Open 2022: All the reaction as Dylan Alcott says goodbye after Quad Wheelchair Singles final
Wheelchair competitors used to leave grand slams with a handshake and a Powerade. They still dont leave with much. Dylan Alcott says it’s not good enough.
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Dylan Alcott wants to win an Oscar and witness a disabled person voted in as prime minister, with the Australian of the Year determined to keep shattering glass ceilings after retiring from tennis as a living legend.
The 15-time Grand Slam champion also wants prizemoney for wheelchair players boosted significantly as he declared the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio and Matthew McConaughey were now in his sights.
“Me being me, I thought let’s just take this (fame) to the absolute stars. How big can we make this? I make jokes, but I actually want to win an Oscar one day,” Alcott said on Thursday night.
“I wanted to win a Logie – I won that. I wanted to win these Grand Slams, I did that. You might be like, ‘You’re an idiot’.
“But who knows in 10 years? Like, why not?”
Alcott’s inspiration was laid bare by Sam Schroder, the Dutchman who beat him to the 2022 Australian Open crown.
Schroder grew up idolising the Victorian and was thrilled to take a game off him in a 6-0, 6-1 thrashing when they first met in 2016.
But Alcott’s departure from sport will not signal the end of his passion to keep transforming society’s views on disabled people.
“I just don’t see why people with disability can’t be greater represented everywhere,” he said.
“Why couldn’t the prime minister be in a wheelchair? I’m dead serious.
“Or have any disability, physical or nonphysical. They’re like, ‘Oh, parliament’s not accessible’. So we’ll build ramps. Just do it. I’ll make you do it. We’ll make you do it – whatever it is.”
The weekend’s men’s and women’s champions will each take home $2.875m, which Alcott said was grossly out of whack with wheelchair tennis.
“I won the lead-in tournament here and it was like $1300. How much is a flight from Europe, $3000?” he said.
“It’s not just Australia, it’s all around the world. We don’t get $3.5m for winning. We get less than half the first-round loser ($103,000) that the able-bodied gets at all slams.
“That’s way better than it was. We used to get a firm handshake and a cold Powerade. So it’s better, but we’ve got to keep building it so it gets better and better.”
Alcott’s farewell wasn’t meant to be like this.
But – and sorry to Australian Open quad wheelchair champion Schroder – the result mattered little.
Ultimately, Alcott’s farewell tennis at Melbourne Park ended with a 5-7, 0-6 loss.
“Do not stop pushing this chair,” he told himself.
It was physical – Alcott calling on a body that had very little left to give, after a three-hour victory in searing heat earlier this week, with a private jet dash to Canberra thrown in to accept a little award called Australian of the Year.
He’d been “cooked” in the lead-up, but this was being taken from the frying pan into the fire as Schroder got cooking in what Alcott said would not be the 22-year-old’s last major victory.
Alcott said he hadn’t cried after the match, validating his decision to call time on his career.
He was “absolutely rinsed”, but was adamant he didn’t regret the midweek dash to Canberra.
With “three beers” in his drink bottle post-match, it was goodbye, having gone from “having five people watching him” to the centre court showpiece.
“People keep telling me this is just the beginning. Which is scary,” he said.
But he’d spoken too soon on the tears.
It was Scot Andy Murray who tipped Alcott over the edge, texting the retiring legend and dubbing him “a rockstar” during his press conference.
“They don’t even care you’re in a wheelchair,” Alcott said, breaking down.
“They don’t give a s**t. I never thought that would happen. That’s cool. That’s really cool.
“That is a legend of the sport getting around wheelchair tennis. If it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for everyone.”
Alcott, 31, is officially finished with tennis, unable to add another title to the 15 in his Melbourne home that sit aside a Paralympic gold medal.
Life begins again, now, a vastly changed one from when he returned to wheelchair tennis from basketball back in 2014.
There’d been outside courts, waiting for courts to train on and begging tournament authorities for leverage.
On Thursday night, the host broadcaster even held back the news until the match was over.
“Thank you so much for changing my life, but also backing someone who’s disabled to be the front of your brand,” Alcott said to Australian Open officials.
“You changed my life, but judging by that award I got a couple of days ago, maybe it’ll help change a lot of other lives as well.
“Every single professional player … are all watching. They all know now, and it’s because it started on this court, right here, together. I’m very thankful.”
The hometown boy had support in spades, including his parents Martin and Resie – who was bawling as her son wished her a happy birthday – and brother Zack.
They’ve seen it all. From the moment he was born with a tumour wrapped around his spine, it was going to be tough.
But that’s just what their boy is.
He hated himself as a kid, on Thursday again speaking of his struggles to accept himself.
They were the ones who helped him do just that, and now the entire country gets to share their son and all of the vigour for life he brings.
“I play a small part in this – it’s all what we’ve done together,” he said. “The reason I don’t (hate myself now) is because of you. It’s because of you.”
It was a day about more than tennis. At least 100 wheelchairs were dotted on the mezzanine level, which Alcott has always said is the reason he does what he does.
“My biggest thanks of all goes to you,” he told the crowd.
“I’m really the luckiest guy in the world. I didn’t need to win today to realise that.
“To my community – thanks for always backing me. I hope I make you proud over the next 12 months as your Australian of the Year.
“This is the last time I’ll ever get to speak on this court. Thank you to every single person for changing my life, I appreciate it so much.”
He joked this week that he’d find a way to drink a beer off the Australian of the Year trophy – a flat, geometric, frosted glass affair.
Despite Thursday’s result, saying goodbye to wheelchair tennis’ most illustrious career will be one hell of a party regardless, you can be sure of that.
“Should I come back?,” he quipped wryly.
“Nah, just kidding. I’m done.”
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Originally published as Australian Open 2022: All the reaction as Dylan Alcott says goodbye after Quad Wheelchair Singles final
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